Arsenal 3-0 Monaco: Saka orchestrates comfortable Champions League win

Embed from Getty Images

Arsenal took a giant step towards the Champions League knockout stage as Bukayo Saka’s double helped them to a 3-0 victory over Monaco on Wednesday.

Mikel Arteta’s side began the fixture outside the top eight in the expanded league stage but jumped up to third with Saka again the catalyst.

He tucked in a Gabriel Jesus cross at the far post in the 34th minute. though Arsenal should have been out of sight before the interval.

The Brazilian missed two glorious opportunities while one-on-one with Radoslaw Majecki, with Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli also guilty of wasting chances.

Monaco threatened to make Arsenal pay for that profligacy after the interval, but the visitors gifted Saka his second goal in the 78th minute, as Majecki’s rushed clearance fell straight to his feet.

Substitute Kai Havertz then rubber-stamped the victory with a close-range third 10 minutes later, though the final touch on Saka’s low cross could have come off Thilo Kehrer, leaving Monaco in 16th.

A good night’s work in N5 pic.twitter.com/DomVfQTa0t

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) December 11, 2024

Data Debrief: Leading from the front

As he has so many times before this season, Saka was once again at the heart of the action as he gave Arsenal’s hopes of clinching automatic qualification a huge boost.

Only Mohamed Salah (28) has been involved in more goals in all competitions among Premier League players than Saka this season (nine goals, 12 assists).

Since the start of last season, only Harry Kane (18), Vinicius Junior (16) and Antoine Griezmann (13) have been involved in more Champions League goals than Saka (eight goals, six assists).

While Arsenal’s attacking play has caught the eye often, their defensive work should also be credited. Since the start of last season, the Gunners have won seven of their eight Champions League home matches (D1), keeping a clean sheet in every single victory.